Introducing Billy Bob the Soul Goat…
Please allow me to introduce myself, I’m Billy Bob the mountain goat, protector and preserver of all that it is good in the mountains. Some people call me Billy the Soul Goat because they say I got it- soul, that is. To understand me, if you care to, is to understand what you humans call soul. Now, recognize that there are many definitions of soul in ol’Websters. The one thing that runs through all the definitions of soul is a spiritual emotion or feeling. The one I like is this – high-mindedness; noble warmth of feeling, spirit or courage. You humans got got all kinds of things soul- there is soul cake, soul kisses, soul food, soul music, soul mates, soul brothers and soul sisters.
I am primarily concerned with mountain soul awareness. More specifically, the soul of the Sawtooths. The Sawtooth mountains, that is. That is where I live. We mountain goats habitate most of the mountain ranges in south-central Idaho. Heck, I got close friends in the Boulders, Pios, White Clouds, and Salmon Riv mountains. But my stompin’ grounds are the Sawtooths, the colossal stretch of mountainous territory that defines this neck of the woods. High alpine peaks and ridgelines, all jagged and remote, are where I hang out.
Now, whether you realize it or not, most of you humans have felt my presence. You feel it ‘cause I’m putting it out there for ya. You may not know it’s coming from me but you know it’s happenin’.
You feel it when you drive those funny-lookin’ cars over Galena and catch your first glimpse of the Sawtooths. You feel it when you walk (on only two legs- ha!) into the ‘tooths. You feel it profoundly when you jump into one of my lakes. You definitely feel it when you climb high into my environment or spend the night in one of those funny-lookin’ shelters. You feel it when you humans are sliding through the snow with those planks attached to your feet. I guess if I had to define it, in goat terms, it would be euphoria mixed with a deep sense of connectedness to the natural world. I am here to make sure your life is filled with these experiences. Come to Stanley, stay with my friends at the Sawtooth Hotel, and get in touch with your own mountain soul. It is the only way to live.
Peace out,
B.B.